Self-sealing collapsible tube



1933- E. ANDERSQEN 1,922,652

SELF SEALING COLLAPSIBLE TUBE Filed June 12, 1931 gwwmtom mdom Patented Aug. 15, 1933 SELF-SEALING COLLAPSIBLE TUBE Edward Andersen, Woodhaven, N. Y.

Application June 12, 1931. Serial menses 4 Claims.

My invention relates to dispensing containers for use in dispensing paste, cream or liquids such as tooth; paste, shaving cream, cosmetics, shoe paste, printing inks or any other commodity of suitable consistency which may be ejected from the container by subjecting such contents to a moderate pressure.

More particularly my invention relates to a novel type of device for normally keeping said container sealed and for permitting the escape of the contents of the tube through asuitable outlet only when pressure is exerted on the contents of the container.

The object of my invention consists in providing a novel type of container closure which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and. durable in operation, and which automatically keeps the container sealed but which permits the escape of the contents of the container when pressure is exerted thereon.

Heretofore, it has been customary, in constructing containers of this character, the most usual form of-which is the commonly used collapsible tube, to seal the delivery opening 5 thereof by means of an ordinary threaded cap,

tube automatically and of having to be detached I to permit removal of its contents, with the attendant possibility of loss of the cap. The spring pressed piston suffers from the disadvantage of requiring too great a nicety of fit within the neck of the tube, if it is topreventthe escape of thin paste or liquid therefrom when not in use, to permit of simple and inexpensive manufacture, and also suffers from the possibility of being tilted slightly and becoming wedged in the neck of the tube.

By employing as a closure member a piece of resilient material, such as sponge rubber, these various objections are eliminated; as the closure member is not ordinarily detached from the tube, it automatically closes the discharge opening when no pressure is exerted on the tube, requires no nicety of fit, and cannot become wedged in the tube neck in an inoperative position.

For a more detailed understanding of my invention reference may now be had to the accompanying drawing of which Fig. 1 is an unassembled elevational view of the parts sh'own assembled in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in cross-section and partly in elevation of a collapsible container embodying my invention illustrating the position normally occupied by the closure member, that is, when no pressure is exerted.

Fig. 3 is a view, similar toFig. 2, indicating the position of the closure member when pressure is exerted on the container;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary views, partially in section and partially in elevation, of modified forms which my invention may assume.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have illustrated an ordinary collapsible tube 10 provided with a neck 11 having threads 12 on the exterior surface thereof and filled with a material of proper consistency, as indicated at 13, to be discharged from the tube when pressure is exerted on the collapsible walls thereof. .Over the neck 11 .is fitted a cylinder cap or nozzle portion 14 provided in one side thereof with a dispensing opening 15 and secured to the neck 11 of the tube by means of a plurality of helically arranged indentations 16 which fit into the space between thethreads 12 so as to hold the cap rigidly into position or permit its removal from the neck at will. Disposed within the upper portion of the cap 14'is a cylindrical member so against the top of the neck 11 and closes the rubber member 17 to a sufficient degree to um cover the aperture 15 thus permitting the tube contents to be discharged therethrough, as indicated in Fig. 3. As long as pressure is exerted upon the tube 10, the contents of the tube will hold the sponge rubber member 17 in a compressed condition and continue to flow from the aperture 15. As soon as pressure is removed from the side walls of the tube the resiliency of the member 17 causes it to expand until it again engages the neck 11 of the tube, thus closing the aperture 15. It will be apparent that when the member 17 is in its uncompressed state, the contents of the tube will be effectively sealed from the outer air because of the member 17 both engaging the neck of the tube in a sealing engagement and closing the aperture 15. As the sealing action occurs immediately upon the removal of the pressure from the tube, it not only preserves the contents, but also prevents accidental wastage thereof.

In use the cap 14 will remain fixed on the tube 10 until its contents are exhausted in the normal manner through the opening 15. When the tube is empty the cap may be unscrewed from the neck of the tube, and, with its sponge rubber insert, be applied to a new tube. The chief advantage of this type of cap is that it'may be employed on the standard threaded neck tube sold with the ordinary screw threaded cap as a closure member.

In the structure illustrated in Fig. 4 the exterior surface of the neck of the tube 11 is smooth and the cap 14 is permanently secured thereto by having a portion 18 thereof indented so as to project into indentations in the neck 11 in a permanent locking engagement. The operation of the sponge rubber member 17 is identical with that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3.

In the structure illustrated in Fig. 5, the neck 11 of the tube 10 is provided with an annular indentation or recess 19 into which the lower portion 20 of the cap 14 is rolled or otherwise annularly indented, thus permanently securing the cap to the neck of the cap.

In the structure illustrated in Fig. 6, the tube 10 is provided with an integral neck or nozzle portion 21 within which is disposed the sponge rubber member 17 which operates as previously described.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that my invention may be embodied in collapsible tubes or other containers provided with either integral permanently attached or detachable cap members. In the latter instance the cap with its cooperating sponge rubber member may be removed from one container, when the latter has been exhausted, and applied to a new container provided with the now usual form of threaded neck member.

Although I have illustrated several forms that my invention may assume and have described in detail several applications thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but that various modifications and alterations thereof may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a container which may be collapsed to permit the application of pressure on the contents thereof, a hollow nozzle portion connected to one end of said container, the interior of said nozzle portion forming a passageway through which the contents of the container may be discharged, said nozzle portion having a discharge opening formed in a side wall thereof, and a closure member located within said nozzle portion and normally being of such length as to cover said discharge opening, said closure member being formed of sponge rubber of plane cross-section of such size and shape as to conform closely to the inner wall of said nozzle portion and being adapted to be compressed when pressure is applied to the contents of the container and when thus compressed to be of such length as to uncover said opening.

2. In combination with a collapsible tube adapted to permit the application of pressure to the contents thereof, a cap secured to one end of said tube and having a laterally extending opening formed therein, and a closure member located within said cap and normally being of such length as to cover said opening, said closure member being formed of sponge rubber of plane cross-section of such size and shape as to conform closely to the. inner wall of said cap and being adapted to be compressed when the tube is subjected to a collapsing force and when thus compressed to be of such length as to uncover said opening.

3. In combination with a tube which may be collapsed to permit the application of pressure to the contents thereof, a cap secured to one end of said tube and having a discharge opening formed in a side wall thereof, and a closure member located within said cap and normally being of such length as to cover said discharge opening, said closure member being formed of a solid body of porous resilient material of such size and shape as to conform closely to the inner wall of said cap, said closure member being capable of being compressed when pressure is applied to the contents of the tube by collapsing a portion of the latter, and when thus compressed to be of such length as to uncover said discharge opening.

4. The combination of a container adapted to permit the application of pressure on the contents thereof and having a rigid neck portion of reduced diameter at one end, said neck portion having a laterally extending opening formed in one side thereof, and a solid closure member formed of sponge rubber, said closure member being located within said neck portion and normally being of such length as to cover said opening, said closure member being of such size and shape as to conform closely to the inner wall of the neck portion and being capable of being compressed when pressure is applied to the contents of said container and when thus compressed being of such length as to uncover said opening.

EDWARD ANDERSEN. 

